Hard Work and Collaboration with the Mayor and Council Colleagues Result in Major Budget Wins

Hard Work and Collaboration with the Mayor and Council Colleagues Result in Major Budget Wins

Washington, DC – Today, At-Large Councilmember Robert White announced major wins for vulnerable District residents. This announcement comes as the Council took the first of two votes on the city’s fiscal year 2019 budget, which passed unanimously.

Councilmember White successfully advocated for and helped secure funds to address the needs of the District’s low-income residents, including landmark funding for returning citizens and senior citizens, and getting funding increased for affordable housing and for students who are new or expecting parents.

Seniors Citizens

$234,163 to create a team at the Office of the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute elder abuse and financial exploitation of seniors

Education

$500,000 to fund programs for adults learning to read

$1 million to save the New Heights program, which supports students who are new or expecting parents in DC public and charter schools

Returning Citizens

$276,000 to fund the Returning Citizens Opportunity to Succeed Act, which ensures that the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizens Affairs begins contacting returning citizens six months before they return from federal prisons to connect them to housing and jobs, gives them free access to identification using their Federal Bureau of Prisons identification, and provides a three month transportation stipend after they return home

$10 million to increase the Home Purchase Assistance Program and Employer-Assisted Housing Program, which will allow more District residents to stay in the city

$6.5 million for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program

$43,000 to fund the Office of Affordable Housing Task Force, which will help us begin to transition some of our aging office buildings into affordable housing both downtown and in neighborhoods around the city

White praised his colleagues for their critical role in securing funds for these programs as well as the residents and advocates who testified at numerous public hearings.

White identified his budget priorities in a letter he sent to Mayor Muriel Bowser in February as she was preparing her budget proposal. He was proud to work with the Mayor as well as several members of the Council to get his priorities funded for District residents.

White said, “In my year and a half on the Council, I have been able to work with my colleagues to double the size of the Mayor’s Office of Returning Citizen Affairs, and fund key housing, education, and senior citizen programs.” In a statement during today’s vote on the budget, White thanked Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, and Council committee Chairpersons who funded these priorities, including: Mary Cheh, Kenyan McDuffie, Anita Bonds, David Grosso, Elissa Silverman, Breanne Nadeau, and Charles Allen.

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